A newly transplanted tree must be braced in order to allow the root system time to develop and sufficiently anchor the tree so that it does not tilt or fall under its own weight or as the result of wind. The conventional method of bracing newly transplanted trees is to use one or more rope or wire lines to brace the tree to two or three stakes in the ground near the tree. The lines are usually fastened to the tree trunk at least halfway up the trunk so that the lines have enough leverage on the trunk to maintain its stability in high winds.
It is well known that bracing lines have a tendency to saw or cut into the tree trunk as the tree sways in the wind causing girdling and/or trunk damage thus disfiguring the tree trunk and/or exposing the tree to the infiltration of insects or disease. Accordingly, garden hose is often used around the lines along their length where they engage the tree trunk directly to shield the trunk form the knifing action of the lines and to disperse the force of the engaging lines over a wider area of the trunk to avoid girdling. Nonetheless, because the hose tends to be made of relative flexible material the engaging force of the line or lines is still focused over a relatively small area of the hose and trunk underneath such that the hose also tends to saw into the tree trunk, although to a lesser degree than uncovered lines. Moreover, it is usually necessary to use some uncovered line to secure and tighten the covered line around the trunk at the desired height so that it does not slip down, particularly in the three point system in which the lines pull downwardly. If not properly fastened over and around the hose covered lines or if displaced these uncovered lines can engage and damage the trunk.
Aside from their tendency to girdle a tree trunk, conventional tree bracing techniques can be difficult to tighten into place, particularly for persons working alone, due to the difficulty in keeping the line synched around the trunk at its desired position while the ends of the lines are anchored to the stakes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tree bracing system which avoids girdling and/or damage to the tree trunk and which is easy and efficient to implement.